Vattenfall has secured a strategic location in Eemshaven, the Netherlands, for the construction and operation of the German wind farms Nordlicht 1 and 2, with a total capacity of over 1,600 MW. The port has become one of Europe’s key hubs for offshore wind logistics. Short transit times, modern infrastructure, and efficient maintenance vessels enable particularly climate-friendly and safe operations.
With Vattenfall, another leading offshore wind farm developer is using Eemshaven as a base for constructing offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Its favorable location directly opposite the island of Borkum on the Dutch side of the Ems estuary makes the port a central logistics hub. Alongside Ørsted, RWE, and EnBW, Vattenfall will also make extensive use of the site. At the same time, Eemshaven is developing into a hotspot for green hydrogen projects.
Vattenfall Signs Agreement with Eemshaven for Nordlicht 1 and 2
Vattenfall has signed a contract with EMS Maritime Offshore B.V. (EMO) to use an operations site in Eemshaven. The new Operations & Maintenance (O&M) base will serve as the central logistics and maintenance hub during the construction and operation of Nordlicht 1 and 2.
“For both the construction phase and the operation of a major offshore project like Nordlicht 1 and 2, we need reliable, experienced partners – with EMS Maritime Offshore B.V., Vattenfall is working with a company that has strong German roots and a long-standing presence in the offshore sector,” says Cyril Moss, Head of the Nordlicht Project at Vattenfall. “The new operations base in Eemshaven is a key component to ensure efficient and climate-friendly operation of Nordlicht, thanks to the shorter travel times.”
Construction of the operations building, which will include warehouse and workshop space, outdoor storage, and office areas built to high sustainability standards, is set to begin in 2025. Completion is planned for October 2026. Construction of Nordlicht 1 will begin in 2026. The first 68 turbines (Nordlicht 1) from the Vestas V236-15.0 MW class are scheduled to go online in autumn 2027, while the 44 turbines of Nordlicht 2 will follow starting in summer 2028. Full completion of the wind farm with 112 offshore turbines is planned for 2028.
Green Hydrogen from Eemshaven
Eemshaven is gaining importance not only as an offshore logistics center but also as a location for green hydrogen production. Vattenfall is planning a large-scale hydrogen production facility here, which will use renewable energy – primarily from offshore wind farms – to produce hydrogen without emissions. According to the news portal hydrogenfuelnews.com, the plant will produce enough hydrogen annually to power around 5,000 trucks. The project received funding from the Dutch government in July 2025 as part of a program that includes a total of 602 megawatts of electrolysis capacity and provides over €700 million in grants for eleven initiatives.
RWE is also pursuing hydrogen production projects near the port area of Eemshaven. The 50 MW “Eemshydrogen” electrolyzer is currently under construction on the site of the Eemshavencentrale power plant, which is located directly adjacent to the port, and is expected to go into operation in 2027 using electricity from the nearby Westereems onshore wind farm (264 MW). For another project with 100 MW capacity, which aims to produce green hydrogen from the offshore wind farm Oranje Wind (Netherlands, 795 MW), an investment decision is still pending. Additionally, RWE already operates a 35 MW battery storage system in Eemshaven to help stabilize the grid. These efforts highlight Eemshaven’s role as a center for green hydrogen production and support industrial decarbonization in the region.
Eemshaven – Key Location for Offshore Wind Projects
The Port of Eemshaven is a central logistics and assembly hub for offshore wind projects in the North Sea, serving as a base for assembly, maintenance, and logistics of wind turbines and foundations. In addition to Vattenfall, Ørsted, RWE, and EnBW also use the port for the construction and operation of their offshore wind farms.
Ørsted manages operations through Eemshaven for its operational wind farms Borssele 1 & 2 (Netherlands, 752 MW), Borssele 3 & 4 (Netherlands, 732 MW), and Hollandse Kust Zuid (Netherlands, 1,509 MW). EnBW supports the wind farms Hohe See (Germany, 497 MW) and Albatros (Germany, 112 MW) from there.
RWE uses the port as a base for the under-construction wind farms Nordseecluster A (Germany, 660 MW), Thor (Denmark, over 1,000 MW), and Oranje Wind (Netherlands, 795 MW), handling monopile foundations, maintenance vessels, and storage areas. From Eemshaven, EnBW also supports the offshore wind farm He Dreiht (Germany, 960 MW), currently under construction, including transport of foundations, monopiles, and transition pieces.
The excellent infrastructure, proximity to project sites, and efficient use of service vessels make Eemshaven one of the most important hubs for offshore wind energy in Europe.
